Neal Burke's Christmas
by peppe1951
Summary: Summary: Neal is the nineteen year old adopted son of Peter and Elizabeth Burke and this is his first Christmas with his new family. Warning: The story contains non-consent spanking of an adult; if you don't like, don't read. If you send me abusive reviews after being warned Santa will leave you switches and coal in your Christmas stockings this year.


**Neal Burke's Christmas**

By Peppe1951

**Summary:** Neal is the nineteen year old adopted son of Peter and Elizabeth Burke and this is his first Christmas with his new family. **Warning:** The story contains non-consent spanking of an adult; if you don't like, don't read. If you send me abusive reviews after being warned Santa will leave you switches and coal in your Christmas stockings this year. **Disclaimer:** White Collar belongs to USA; I only write about it.

**Author's Note**: This is part of the series that started with Disrespect.

I apologize in advance…this story hasn't been betaed.

**Chapter 1**

This was the first Christmas nineteen year old Neal was going to spend with his new family…the Burkes and he wanted to get El something special but he hadn't enough money to get her something really nice so here he was in the Macy department store ready to lift a nice piece of jewelry from the store's Jewelry department.

Neal was so intent on his task that he wasn't aware that he was being watched by none other than his Dad, Peter Burke. At first Peter was just watching to see what his son was going to select because he didn't want to get the same thing for his lovely wife. His smile quickly turned to a frown when he realized what Neal was up to and hurried to get to him before the store security did.

Neal had just selected a nice bracelet admiring it while he chatted up the clerk and in a slick move when he redirected the clerk's attention elsewhere he quickly put the bracelet now missing its security tag into his pocket and was about to stroll away when he felt a hand on his shoulder and a voice he knew all too well whisper,

"What are you doing Neal trying to get a one-way trip back to lockup?"

"Dad…what are you doing here?"

"The same as you looking for a present for El, only I planned on paying for mine. Put it back or I will embarrass you so bad that you won't ever come back here!"

Neal looked into his father's face and gulped. He could only imagine what his father would do and decided to follow his directions and placed the bracelet on the counter. "Miss, this must have fallen from the counter; I found it one the floor."

The clerk thanked him for his help and reclaimed the bracelet noticing at once that the security tag was missing and was about to ask about it when she noticed that the young man had already left and returned to her current customer.

"Very well done, son. Now I want you to go to your room and stand in the corner. I'll be home within the next two hours and you had better be there when I get there," and with a discreet swat to his son's backside Peter returned to the jewelry department for the right Christmas present for El.

"Bummer, now I don't have a gift and will probably have a sore bottom for my effort," groused Neal as he headed home.

El was still decorating for Christmas when she heard the front door open and then close. "Peter? Is that you?"

"Nope, it's me, Mom."

"Neal? What are you doing home and where is your dad?"

"He's shopping. He sent me home."

"Why did he send you home?"

"Neal? Neal!"

El looked up to see that her son had disappeared without answering her question so she went looking for him and found him in his room standing in the corner. "What did you do Neal for your father to send you to a corner in your room?"

"Dad caught me about to steal a gift and sent me home to this corner until he got home."

Oh, Neal…why did you do something so foolish?"

"I wanted to get you something nice for Christmas."

"And you thought I would like a gift that had been stolen? You know me better than that by now, son."

"I wasn't going to tell you that I had stolen it only that I had saved my money to buy it and I did save I just didn't have enough to get you something special."

"Oh Neal…you were going to lie to me?"

"Yes ma'am"

Neal was about to add more when he felt his ear being grasped and pulled. "Mom! What are you doing?" as he felt himself being pulled over to his desk and pushed down.

"I'm going to explain very carefully why stealing and lying isn't the right thing to do to your parents," El replied as she grabbed the ruler on the desk and let it fly. She laid lick after lick on her son's backside until she had him whimpering and then crying out in pain.

"Owww…owww…owwww…Mom stop…please stop…I'm sorry…owww…owwww…owwww!"

But El wasn't going to stop until she made it clear that what he had attempted to do wasn't acceptable behavior in their family and turned a deaf ear to his cries and pleas not stopping until he was sobbing uncontrollably. It was only then that she put the ruler down and pulled the still sobbing young man into her arms. He grabbed her as she was a lifeline and sobbed into her shoulder all the while as she rubbed his back as to comfort him.

They were still in that position when Peter walked in thirty minutes later. "Ahem…I take it that your mother took over the handing out of consequences for your latest caper?" he asked dryly.

Neal nodded, too spent to answer.

"Did she do good job on explaining why you will not do this again or do I need to add to the warmth in your bottom?"

"Good job….please no more!" Neal was quick to reply as he turned his red rimmed eyes to his father.

Peter nodded and pulled his son to himself and said, "Why don't you take a nap and when you awake we will have a discussion on why this is unacceptable behavior."

Neal looked up with terror in his eyes…."no more discussions, please…my butt can't take any more discussion or explaining."

Peter chuckled at the misunderstanding. "No this time it is a verbal discussion…now lay down and get some rest and when you wake El will have supper on the table…and yes you can stand to eat this time."

Neal nodded and moving as quickly as his sore bottom would allow laid on his side on his bed while his parents left him in peace to recover from his lack of judgment earlier.

**Chapter 2**

By the time Neal had awakened El had everything on the table and was about to call him down for supper when he surprised her by walking gingerly down the stairs.

"I've got your plate on the sideboard or you can bring it over and join us. I put a pillow in your chair."

Neal looked into the longing in his mother's eyes and brought his plate over. He sat it down at his place before he slowly and carefully lowered himself into his chair. He winced as his still sore bottom made contact but realized that he should be able to sit without squirming too much and enjoy his dinner with his folks.

"Everything looks delicious, Mom. Where is Dad?"

"He had to step out; he said something about forgetting something and to start without him. So did you have a nice nap?"

"Yes ma'am, unfortunately my bottom is still sore. Did you have to spank me so hard?"

"I wanted to make sure that you understood the seriousness of your actions and not to repeat them. Neal the next time you think of doing something like this remember how sad I will be to visit my son in prison and don't do it."

"I'm sorry…I would be equally sad to be behind bars…I guess I just let my wanting to get you something nice overpower my resolve to go straight."

"But…"

"But I won't make that mistake again….I promise."

"That's my good boy; but son, you don't have to get me something expensive to show your love. I've told you time and time again that I would love to have a painting done by your own hand…a Neal C. Burke original to hang up somewhere."

Neal blushed at the praise and considered her request when Peter rushed in stopping only momentarily to place something under the tree before joining his son and wife for a Christmas Eve dinner.

"I see that you convinced him to join us at the table," he remarked before taking his place across from his lovely wife.

"It wouldn't be the same not have him enjoy this meal with us; I think the fluffy pillow helped to make up his mind more than my pleading did."

"Well, it did help a little bit but I enjoy our meals together, too," replied Neal as he bit into his Cornish hen and soon all that could be heard was the three enjoying each other's company as they consumed their meal. All too soon El was bringing out the coconut cake and the evening was nearly over.

"What happens next?" asked Neal as he placed a forkful of cake into his mouth.

"In the past your father and I would retire to the living room to watch an old Christmas classic like "It's a Wonderful Life" and gaze into each other's eyes as before retiring for the night.

"Well, I think I will leave you two to enjoy your tradition while I return to my room. I have some Christmas presents to wrap and bring down to go under the tree before Christmas Day arrives. Good night!" Neal got up from the table and walked with a purpose back to his room to begin a project he intended to finish before Christmas morning.

Neal worked into the early morning before he finished the last stroke and fell on his bed in utter exhaustion to sleep what little time he had left before the morning came.

**Chapter 3**

"Neal…" a voice called into the early morning hours and Neal woke to the sight of a fat little man dressed in red standing in front of his bed.

"I've got to be dreaming," mutter Neal as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

"Santa?"

"But of course, who else would it be…this is my night for making my rounds. I've been looking for you for many a year but it seems that the Marshals were just too good at hiding you and changing your name for me to actual find Danny Brooks. But now I have discovered that Neal Caffrey is really Danny and I have a present that you requested so many years ago," Santa replied as he handed Neal a stuffed dog. "You had written in your letter that you wanted a real one but you couldn't have one since the apartment where you lived wouldn't allow it. So I made you this one until you could find the one of your dreams. Now go on back to sleep; you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow and all growing boys need their sleep," and with that Santa was gone and Neal stumbled back into bed.

Neal awoke a few hours later to stagger to his feet so tired that he could barely stand but managed to make it to the bathroom for a quick shower before dressing and taking his painting downstairs to place on the mantle. He would have it framed after Christmas but for now it looked good above the mantelpiece.

He hurried to the kitchen to brew a pot of coffee and let Satch out. He thought it would be a nice touch if he had breakfast ready when his mom and dad made it downstairs.

Neal timed it perfectly by the time the coffee was ready so was the muffins he had prepared and had everything on the table when El and then Peter walked in.

"Everything smells delicious, sweetie; is this your Christmas present to us?"

"Partly," Neal replied as he handed a cup of hot coffee to his father and a cup of his mother's favorite tea to her. He then refilled his own cup before sitting gingerly down at his place….his bottom was still sore from the night before.

"You look tired, dear. Couldn't you sleep last night?"

"Oh, I had no trouble sleeping once I made it to bed."

"What time did you get to bed?"

"About three in the morning but once I did I had the strangest dream."

Neal went on to explain once he got the same look from his folks. "I know this is going to sound strange but I dreamed that I was visited by St. Nick and he said something about finally finding me and he gave me a present…a stuffed animal…a dog. And the more I think about it I remembered when I was eight I wrote a letter to Santa about wanting a dog for Christmas but that it wasn't possible because the apartment we lived in forbid pets like cats or dogs. In my dream Santa explained that he never found me that Christmas because of my new name but now he was going to rectify that and that is when he gave me my stuffed dog."

"You were so tired last night that your subconscious took over and you remembered that account that made you dream about Santa," suggested El as she popped the last bit of muffin in her mouth.

"I'm ready to open some presents; who wants to join me?"

Neal stood up eagerly to say, "My present isn't wrapped so if you would trust me to close your eyes and I'll lead you in so you can both see it at the same time."

Peter and El closed their eyes and hung on as Neal grabbed each by the hand and lead them into the living room where the tree was located. Once he had them standing in front of the fireplace he said. "You can open your eyes now," and stood back to see their reactions.

El expression of delight was easy to see but he was surprised to see tears in his father's eyes as well. The painting he had stayed up to complete stood in front of them and their emotions surprised him.

"Do you like it?"

"Oh son…we love it. We needed a new family portrait now that you are

a member of our family." El surveyed the skill and love Neal put into the painting. He had placed himself in between Dad on his left and his Mom on the right. At their feet laid Satch with the background being the Christmas tree.

They pulled Neal into a family hug in thanks for the painting with El kissing his forehead. "Now let's get to the wrapped presents, shall we," she added as she pulled a present out and handed it to Neal and then one for Peter.

She watched as her boys attacked the wrappings to reveal a set of paints for Neal and a new watch for Peter.

Then it was her turn as she was handed a package from her husband that revealed a bracelet similar to the one that Neal tried to steal.

"Oh honey, it is beautiful…I didn't think you had it in you. Did you have help?"

"In a manner of speaking I did and by an expert in jewelry identification," replied Peter as he glanced at Neal.

After this it was a mad dash for presents and to see who could open theirs the fastest until they were all opened and Neal and his family sat back to marvel at what they had received, Neal made a killing on art supplies and art books while El received jewelry and a fine assortment of teas and Peter received season tickets to all of the Yankees home games. Even Satch got a chew toy and a new bed.

"Honey would you and Neal clean up the wrappings while I clean up the breakfast dishes?"

"Sure honey…Neal if you would grab a large garbage bag I'll get started pulling the packaging from under the tree," Peter asked as he got on his knees to grab the used Christmas wrapping and boxes. It was then that he found an unwrapped present and read the tag on the gift.

"Neal, you missed a present," he yelled as he held the package out.

Neal came back and handed the empty bag before grabbing the box. He looked curiously at the tag…it only had his name on it. "It doesn't say who it is from; did you or Mom forget to add your name?"

"It wasn't me buddy; why don't you ask your mother?"

Neal nodded and went into the kitchen carrying the box. "Mom did you get this for me?"

El looked up and shook her head. "No, son. I didn't use that type of wrapping on any of my packages. Why don't you open it…maybe it's from Mozzie?"

Neal smiled. "That's got to be the answer…he must have left it the other day when he was visiting." Satisfied with his reasoning Neal started to unwrap the present and then stopped as the present came into view. He pulled out a stuffed dog just like the one he had dreamed that he had received last night from Santa.

"What did Mozzie…that doesn't look like something Mozzie would buy you?" Peter asked as he caught sight of the stuffed dog.

"This is what Santa gave me last dream," Neal said as he looked at the plush toy in disbelief.

"What was in the package, sweetie?" asked El as she came into the room.

Neal just numbly held the stuffed dog out to his mom. El took it and made the connection. "This the toy you were given by Santa?"

Neal nodded. "I don't understand…how can this be?"

"I don't now son but I wouldn't underestimate the power of the Christmas. Just accept that you were meant to have this toy that you

should have gotten when you were eight and now all is complete."

Neal nodded while his mother examined the dog. "Oh, sweetie his ear is torn…I'll just sew that up for you."

"Thanks mom…I wonder what type of dog it is?"

"I don't know but it is a cutie with the whiskers and bushy eyebrows. We can look it up later but for now let's wish everyone a very MERRY CHRISTMAS."

"MERRY CHRISTMAS!" from Peter, El and Neal Burke.

The End

14


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